Power Plants
Tri-State Earns Environmental Award
Officials at a Colorado G&T see a bright future for one of its coal-based power plants based on a commitment to meet or exceed state and federal environmental standards.
The Nucla Station power plant in Colorado has been honored for meeting or surpassing all state and federal environmental standards. (Photo By: Tri-State G&T)
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association’s 100-megawatt Nucla Station has been supplying power to southwestern Colorado since 1959 and its operation has taken statewide honors for environmental stewardship for a second consecutive year.
“We identified the areas where we were practicing energy efficiency, conservation and recycling, and we found ways to make improvements,” said Chris Gilbreath, manager of water, waste and environmental management for the Westminster, Colo.-based G&T.
After achieving bronze status under the Colorado health department’s Environmental Leadership Program in 2008, the plant staff, with the support of the G&T’s management, worked to improve upon their compliance record by using last year’s results as a model.
The state’s latest review of plant operations indicated full compliance with air, water and waste regulations, earning silver award status for 2009. State officials also noted that the plant met or exceeded federal standards in the same areas.
Many of the improvements have come as a result of better consultation between operations personnel and members of the G&T’s safety and environmental staffs.
“We’re able to weigh the environmental consequences and consider potential cost savings from keeping the material out of our waste stream,” Gilbreath said.
Many of the improvements made at Nucla are used at other Tri-State G&T facilities. Others have been adopted by the G&T’s member co-ops.
State officials recognized Tri-State for “voluntarily going beyond compliance with state and federal standards” during a recent awards ceremony in Denver.
“We were the first utility in the state to achieve bronze status, now we’re the first to get the silver,” said Gilbreath. “As a company Tri-State is now aiming for the gold.”
Tags: Coal, Power Plants